Effectively managing diversity

Managing Diversity Effectively

In recent years, diversity has expanded beyond simply adhering to anti-discrimination laws, as it always did, to include corporate performance and inclusion (Wagner et al. 2016, p. 42; Barak 2016, p.5). Therefore, fostering productivity among staff members and fostering an environment where everyone may communicate freely are the main goals of managing diversity at the workplace (Sharma 2016, p.1212682; Guillaume et al. 2014, p.785). The purpose of managing diversity is to give employees who exhibit a variety of backgrounds, abilities, and requirements the chance to work together with coworkers inside the organization to create an optimal work climate that will enhance the company results (Oswick and Noon 2014, p.25).

Managers use different approaches to manage diversity in any workplace

(Kirton and Greene 2015, p.33). One of the profound models is the social identity model which focuses on understanding how each person perceive themselves and others with a social climate (Wagner et al. 2016, p.45). The model examines the manner in which people self-categorize themselves by developing and associating themselves with a set of behaviors and attitudes that will allow them to fit in a particular group (Sharma 2016, p.1212682). The paper discusses ways in which managers can manage diversity in any given workplace. Analysis of the various management approaches draws from the social identity model in which individuals are noted to have specific traits and ideologies that differ from each other (Kirton and Greene 2015, p.35). The uniqueness of the attitudes and attributes each possesses are valued and are what the manager leverages to promote diversity at the workplace (Wagner et al. 2016, p.48).

Literature Review

At a workplace, managers can effectively manage diversity in some ways.

Emphasis on Communication

(Sharma 2016, p.1212682). The policies that govern the organization have to be communicated to the employees so that they comprehend what they are expected to do at all times (Oswick and Noon 2014, p.27). Setting forth safety rules, and procedures will harness the varied skills and diverse knowledge that each employee has to offer (Gonzalez 2013, p.3). Effective communication will be through identification of the different languages that the employees can communicate through so that each employee is engaged in a language they understand best to minimize miscommunication (Kirton and Greene 2015, p.36). Recognizing individual difficulties in language will iron out the language barriers so that the employee does not feel left out because they do not understand a specific language that the majority use (Wagner et al. 2016, p.43). When possible, important information, like safety information, should be translated into a language understood by each employee. Furthermore, using pictures, warning signs, and other symbols will increase the understanding in case there are individual differences in use of language or speech (Barak 2017, p.13).

Viewing Employees as Individuals

Moreover, managers are supposed to view the employees as single entities in a way that each employee is an individual with different perspectives (Sharma 2016). Making assumptions based on either negative or positive stereotype has to be avoided to prevent offending the values and beliefs held by each employee (Guillaume et al. 2014, p.786). For successful management of the varied individual differences, failures, and successes have to be judged individually to prevent generalizations that will demoralize the employees. At times, employees express prejudices towards each other and therefore the manager is mandated to respond promptly but firmly to prevent workplace bullying based on group assumptions (Guillaume et al. 2014, p.787). Also, the different employees have to be reminded of the workplace policies which will prevent discrimination of certain individuals at the workplace by co-worker. Since the employees strive to attain both organizational and individual success, encouraging individual growth will impact the performance of each employee and hence the success of the organization (Oswick and Noon 2014). Besides, as a manager, it is critical to promote the teamwork so that the workplace nurtures the personality of each employee and how they interact with co-workers. Rating the quality of each employee based on their experience and not their ethnicity, age, or other categories will promote the effectiveness in the management of diversity in workplaces (Oswick and Noon 2014, p.29). A similar aspect has to be considered during the hiring of the employees with diverse qualities so that various unique skills are gotten at the workplace puts the managers on the probable course in diversity management at the organizations (Joshua and Taylor-Abdulai 2014, p.8).

Promoting Diverse Teamwork

Managers can further encourage the employees to work in teams that reflect workplace diversity (Oswick and Noon 2014, p.25). When the employees work in teams with diverse values will increase collaboration and cooperation as each employee understands the individual beliefs and values held by one another (Harvey and Allard 2015, p.61). Besides, promoting diverse teamwork expands the views and experiences of each employee in the teams (Oswick and Noon 2014, p.26). Consequently, the employees will recognize the advantages of having combined talents and varied perspectives and how they can be harnessed to promote efficiency at the workplace (Gonzalez 2013, p.5; Barak 2016, p.15). In the formation of the diverse teams, the manager has to ensure each team is comprised of qualified staff members who will promote the growth of each other within the team (Harvey and Allard 2015, p.65).

Formal Training and Mentoring Programs

Creation of formal training and mentoring programs in workplaces for the entire staff will leverage the benefits of diversity to enhance diversity management (Hughes and Byrd 2015, p.58). During such training, discussions on the better management of workplace diversity will be encouraged so that both the mentees and the mentors see the need for voluntary promotion of diversity at the workplace (Hughes and Byrd 2015, p.59; Harvey and Allard 2015, p.63). Setting up programs to ensure the members already in leadership are paired with women and minorities will open up interactions and dialogues that will break the existing barriers between the majority and minorities (Little, Leung, and Van Avermaet, 2013, p.2). Besides, the interaction will enhance group support in which the mentees will realize opportunities and promote openness and similarities (Gonzalez 2013, p.4). Managers can promote diversity by recognizing and encouraging the employees to realize that one’s individual experience, culture, and background are not the only values upheld by the organization (Hughes and Byrd 2015, p.56). Encouraging the employees to be open-minded towards values and ideologies held by others in the organization will lead to the development of relationships with co-workers of different backgrounds (Little, Leung, and Van Avermaet, 2013, p.7). Managers will, therefore, incorporate the diverse ideologies and talents in the organizational policies and procedures to focus on achieving organizational goals.

Research by Little, Leung, and Van Avermaet (2013)

indicates that managers who identify dissimilarity in the abilities and personalities of the employees will lead to intrinsic motivation of the employees. When managers use positive compliments and recognition of the capabilities of their team, the members develop a positive self-image and at the same time develop a sense of belongingness (Sharma 2016, p.1212682). Addressing the different uncertainties experienced at the workplace will result in the employees being intrinsically motivated to reduce the uncertainty and accept the distinctiveness. Extrinsic motivation can be used by the managers in the circumstances like promotion and assigning of responsibilities to diverse groups which will ensure that the employees focus on creating an understanding within the group to accomplish the assigned responsibilities (Little, Leung, and Van Avermaet, 2013, p.12).

Leadership in an organization

is one of the fundamental aspects of managing diversity in the workplace. According to Chrobot-Mason, Ruderman, and Nishii (2013), the leadership style defines the nature of diversity and the extent to which diversity will be managed and enhanced in companies (Marina 2015, p.44). Transformational leadership that the managers will demonstrate at the workplace will focus on driving the employees towards meeting certain set standards as expected of everyone (Boekhorst 2015, p.244). Involving the employees in decision-making at the workplace will enhance the ability of each employee demonstrating their different skills and abilities when performing their duties (Mor Barak 2015, p.84). Therefore, as a transformational leader, the manager will understand the shortcomings of the individual employees and instruct the employees to focus on work-related issues that can be judged based on the set standards (Mor Barak 2015, p.83; Boekhorst 2015, p.251). Being proactive in helping the employees achieve their individual goals will create a perspective that the organization encourages identity and hence boost one’s self-confidence of the employees (Chrobot-Mason, Ruderman, and Nishii 2013, p.73). When the employees perceive themselves to belong to the larger organizational setting, they will present their idiosyncratic views that will develop diverse, valuable, and unique characters in the company (Marina 2015, p.44).

Team Management

In team management, the manager has to recognize the contributions made by others in the running of a given organization (Mor Barak 2015, p.86). For instance, every member of the organization regardless of their age, race, and gender will have a specific role that they play. One of the employees will demonstrate certain talents that, when nurtured, they can be channeled into attaining the success of the company (Mor Barak 2015, p.85). When the manager recognizes the different contributions of the employees, diversity will be promoted in the organization (Mor Barak 2015, p.87). Also, the manager is expected to identify with the other members of the organization who may be different from him or her. A manager may have different perspectives from the ones held by the rest of the team (Jabbar and Mirza 2017, p.6). Therefore, effective management of diversity will be promoted when the ideas and perspectives of such individuals are taken into account.

Developing and Communicating Initiatives and Policies

As a manager, developing and communicating initiatives and policies creates a climate that attracts diverse and new skills that will be tailored for specific purposes (Sabharwal 2014, p.198). Promoting women through gender equity and leadership is one of the initiatives managers can use in managing diversity in workplaces (Jabbar and Mirza 2017, p.9). According to the Corporate Leadership Council, providing equal opportunities for women at all levels in a workplace ensures professional growth for all members of the organization (Sabharwal 2014, p.197). Besides, acknowledging the varied needs, women have in the life cycle, and the course of their career promotes the ability of the women to demonstrate their skills and knowledge that will be critical in the organizational performance.

Innovation and initiatives put in place by the manager will ensure that the underrepresented individuals in the workplace secure career opportunities (Syed and Ozbilgin 2015, p.55). For instance, some ethnic groups and the female gender get little attention in the corporate field especially at the top management which is dominated by the male and mostly white (Sabharwal 2014, p.203). As a manager, setting up programs that focus on increasing the number of minorities in the top-level management will be one way of managing diversity (Syed and Ozbilgin 2015, p.52). For the case of women, creating awareness on the benefits of diversity in leadership will result in shuttering of the ’glass ceiling’ that isolates women from acquiring full-time jobs. At the same time, the initiatives will allow the women to balance family and job responsibilities which will promote the growth of the career path for the women (Sabharwal 2014, p.200).

However, in the attempt to ensure effective diversity management at the workplace, managers experience frequent problems like social profiling, stereotyping, and negative ethnicity among others (Ewoh 2013, p.108). Resolution to these challenges entails managers focusing on hiring qualified people so that the status quo is challenged (Jabbar and Mirza 2017, 7). As a result, introducing new and qualified staff smoothens the way to culture change so that a new culture that promotes diversity is developed (Sabharwal 2014, p.206). Furthermore, recruiting outside the box, in an instance where qualified women are recruited will prevent the notion of how things are done at the workplace and therefore encompass fresh and new perspectives from the women (Joshua and Taylor-Abdulai 2014, p.11; Ewoh, A.I., 2013, p.109s). Outlining zero-tolerance policy in writing will ensure that all the employees observe the code of how to interact with each other. In this manner, stereotyping and social profiling jokes will be eliminated from the workplace to create an enabling climate for diverse cultures and ideologies being nurtured (Syed and Ozbilgin 2015, p.53).

Conclusion

Conclusively, management of diversity has been examined by various scholars from several perspectives using different models. From the social identity approach, it has been observed that successfully managing diversity in an organization involves the manager identifying, interpreting, and understanding the unique individual traits each employee may possess (Syed and Ozbilgin 2015, p.55). As a result, the valuable and diverse ideas, skills, and traits that the employees will demonstrate will be leveraged to promote diversity at the workplace. In totality, leadership plays a vital role in diversity management in a way that creating an enabling environment for the employees to express their ideas and later adopting them in final decision-making promotes workplace diversity (Sabharwal 2014, p.205). Various challenges like stereotyping and ethnicity inhibit the effectiveness of diversity management (Joshua and Taylor-Abdulai 2014, p.10). Managers are therefore expected to adopt policies and outline procedures in writing that will define the conduct of the employees in the organization (Sabharwal 2014, p.201).

References

Barak, M.E.M., 2016. Managing diversity: Toward a globally inclusive workplace. Sage Publications.

Barak, M.E.M., 2017. Managing diversity. Sage Publications Incorporated.

Boekhorst, J.A., 2015. The role of authentic leadership in fostering workplace inclusion: A social information processing perspective. Human Resource Management, 54(2), pp.241-264.

Chrobot-Mason, D., Ruderman, M.N. and Nishii, L.H., 2013. Leadership in a diverse workplace. In The Oxford handbook of diversity and work.

Ewoh, A.I., 2013. Managing and valuing diversity: Challenges to public managers in the 21st century. Public Personnel Management, 42(2), pp.107-122.

Gonzalez, L., 2013, January. Managing Diversity for Safety, Health & Environmental Excellence. In ASSE Professional Development Conference and Exposition. American Society of Safety Engineers.

Guillaume, Y.R., Dawson, J.F., Priola, V., Sacramento, C.A., Woods, S.A., Higson, H.E., Budhwar, P.S. and West, M.A., 2014. Managing diversity in organizations: An integrative model and agenda for future research. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 23(5), pp.783-802.

Harvey, C.P. and Allard, M., 2015. Understanding and managing diversity: Readings, cases, and exercises. Pearson.

Hughes, C. and Byrd, M.Y., 2015. Managing Diversity Training Programs. In Managing Human Resource Development Programs (pp. 111-129). Palgrave Macmillan, New York.

Jabbar, A. and Mirza, M., 2017. Managing diversity: Academics’ perspective on culture and teaching. Race, Ethnicity and Education.

Joshua, B.M. and Taylor-Abdulai, H., 2014. Making ethnic differences count at the workplace: A new paradigm shift for managing diversity in Ghana.

Kirton, G. and Greene, A.M., 2015. The dynamics of managing diversity: A critical approach. Routledge.

Little, D., Leung, C. and Van Avermaet, P. eds., 2013. Managing diversity in education: Languages, policies, pedagogies (Vol. 33). Multilingual matters.

Marina, B.L., 2015. Managing diversity in communities, workplaces, and society. Diversity and Public Administration: Theory, Issues, and Perspectives, p.44.

Mor Barak, M.E., 2015. Inclusion is the key to diversity management, but what is inclusion?. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 39(2), pp.83-88.

Oswick, C. and Noon, M., 2014. Discourses of diversity, equality and inclusion: trenchant formulations or transient fashions?. British Journal of Management, 25(1), pp.23-39.

Sabharwal, M., 2014. Is diversity management sufficient? Organizational inclusion to further performance. Public Personnel Management, 43(2), pp.197-217.

Sharma, A., 2016. Managing diversity and equality in the workplace. Cogent Business & Management, 3(1), p.1212682.

Syed, J. and Ozbilgin, M. eds., 2015. Managing diversity and inclusion: an international perspective. Sage.

Wagner, U., Faust, H., Scheidt, M. and Kraus, M., 2016. Managing Diversity in the Drivetrain of the Future. Auto Tech Review, 5(2), pp.42-49.